Lachrymose
by AnalogToothBrush
Summary: "...and even as he cried, he smiled." {Male!OC} {CANCELLED/BEING REWRITTEN}
1. TEAR I

**Disclaimer:** _Ouran High School Host Club_ © Bisco Hatori.

* * *

 **I.**

She remembered that she had been crying the first time she had encountered him.

It had been raining ceaselessly, coming down in sheets of varying intensities but she had ventured out into the dour weather regardless.

Her mother had passed away relatively recently—on the very same day the seemingly perpetual rain had begun, in fact—leaving her and her father behind to pick up the scattered pieces that her death left in its wake. She had been broken, _shattered_ and had cried her eyes out until they were irritated, sore and unable to produce anymore tears for days after.

However, her father had remained dry-eyed, silly and happy, adamant on staying strong and stable—for _her_ , she realized, even at only five years old.

So, she ran away.

...But not really.

She had slipped out into the pouring rain while he was in the bathroom, believing in that ignorant, childlike way that being absent without his knowledge would allow her father the time he needed to properly grieve his beloved wife—she was only in the way of his recovery, she had believed, and had managed to wander away to a small park several blocks away from their home.

It was desolate, with obvious reason, and she had tucked herself beneath a slide to shield herself from the cold drops that refused to let up. Once settled, she rested her chin on her knees and wrapped her tiny arms around her legs, listening to the staccato rhythm of the rain beating down against her metal shelter.

Then, she waited.

...Then, she began to cry.

The tears leaked out despite her best efforts to keep them hidden. The soft, anguished keening noises forced themselves from behind trembling lips, easily beating out her will to stay quiet—to stay strong like her mother and father had been. Again, she crumpled beneath the overwhelming pain, unable to do anything but _cry_.

But, then, through the pelting rain and her own sobs, she heard a voice.

"Hey, are ya okay?" The voice asked softly, curiously. "Why ya cryin' out here alone?"

Slowly, her clenched eyes opened and the sobs lessened minutely as she did her best to discern the speaker's face through a bleary, wet vision.

The first thing she noticed had been his eyes; his most prominent feature that drew all attention away from the others. They were blue, clear and pale that bordered on being white, almost fooling her into believing that he was blind. _Almost_. Even despite the odd, almost seemingly _unnatural_ color, she knew that he saw with just as much clarity as she.

"Why ya in tha rain by ya'self?" He questioned, squatting down before her and holding his large orange umbrella over them both.

She couldn't speak, her breathing too volatile and the tears burning the back of her eyes. Not only was she afraid that she'd merely break down again, she was also wary; despite looking close to her in age, the boy crouched in front of her was a _stranger_. In response, she merely huddled in on herself, willing both the boy and the tears that were welling up away.

"H-hey, don' cry! Please don' cry!" His voice went up in pitch as she sucked in a sharp, hitching breath. "Wait! H-here!"

She squeaked quietly, surprised and confused as the boy shoved a napkin in her face and proceeded to wipe away tears and rain. She reacted instinctively, batting away his hands, ignoring his yelp and dusting away the residue he'd left on her round cheeks.

"...Crumbs?" She questioned quietly, wiping her hands off on her skirt. "W-wha—"

"Don' cry." He repeated, a gentle smile on his face as he pulled something out of his overalls' pocket. "Here, take this. My Granna makes tha bes' muffins. They'll make ya happy for sure!"

Her large eyes blinked slowly as she examined the bread within his palm. She sniffled before tentatively accepting the offering, noting how it was still somewhat warm—because of the boy's own warmth, because it had just come out of the oven, she couldn't quite tell. She eyed it warily, holding it close but making no move to eat it, hoping that the unknown child would leave now that she'd taken what he had to give.

He remained, however, eyes wide and expectant—kind of weird, too, with how it seemed like he wasn't blinking. Moderately unnerved by his stare, she lifted the food to her nose, giving it a quick sniff before taking a tiny nibble.

 _Blueberry..._ Her lips trembled as she took another small bite, ignoring how that particular nibble had become soggy with rain. _Blueberry... Mommy used to make these, too..._

"Did that make ya better?" He asked, excitement evident in his voice.

 _No!_ Her mind snapped but she remained mute, wet brown eyes steadily staring at her shoes as she tried her best to keep her emotions in check. _Please go away. Stop trying to make me feel better... Please... Mommy... I miss...you..._

"U-um..." He glanced around, scratching his cheek somewhat awkwardly at her melancholy state. "Well, I don' know why you're sad or nothin' but...I'm sure it'll get better."

"N...no..." Her eyes squeezed shut at his words, tears leaking out and heating her rain-chilled cheeks. "It won't... It won't get...better...! _Mommy_...!" She choked out a sob as she pressed her face into her legs. "C-come back, Mommy...!"

"Yer mommy's gone...?" He murmured contemplatively. "Oh, that's why."

She'd vaguely realized that he'd placed a hand on her head. "Look, ya gotta stop cryin', 'kay?"

 _If it was that easy, I wouldn't be crying now!_ She glared at him futilely through her liquid anguish. _Leave me alone!_

"Ya hafta stop cryin', 'cause if you don't the rain won't be end! Wanna know why?"

"W-w-wha—"

"Ya mommy's gone but she's in Heaven now. When people go ta Heaven, they still watch over the people on Earth." He said sagely, pointing towards the sky confidently. "Right now, it's been rainin' for so long 'cause ya mommy's' cryin' with ya. When ya go ta Heaven, ya tears become rain, yeah. "

"The rain...is Mommy's...tears...?" She hiccupped, the boy's explanation making sense for some odd reason—the rain _did_ start the day her mother had left. "...Mommy's...still watching me? Right now...?"

The boy hummed softly, a sound of affirmation. "So, ya hafta stop cryin'! Ya mommy's always with ya, no matter where ya go! No more cryin', yeah?"

She stared at the boy with wide eyes, filled with innocent amazement. Her head nodded slowly, as if she were afraid it would fall off if she nodded any faster.

The boy grinned happily, standing to his feet as he patted her head, mussing up her hair. "Well, I gotta go. Don' stay in tha rain _too_ long, 'kay? They might be ya mommy's tears but you can _still_ catch a cold and no one likes those, yeah."

The boy trotted off and returned to his guardian's side, leaving her in the empty park with dry eyes and a soggy blueberry muffin.

For only a moment more, she crouched there beneath her metal shelter before she too stood up and adjusted the hood on her jacket. She ambled over to the park's entrance, glancing both ways to catch sight of the boy and his grandmother but there was no one on either side of the street, almost as if she had been there alone the entire time.

She glanced down at the bread in her hands, pondering about something. Abruptly, she tossed the blueberry muffin into the trash bin, wanting her father to know nothing about her eating something—even the _tiniest of nibbles_ —from a stranger without his permission.

* * *

The rain didn't let up for another week but, eventually, the sun peaked out from behind heavy, grey clouds.

The tears and sobs eventually ceased, giving way to strained smiles and only slightly wet eyelashes now and again.

The pain slowly, oh so slowly ebbed away, leaving behind admiration, resolution, strength and warm, joyful memories of a woman who would always remain in her heart even if she no longer remained in the world.

...And though she never mentioned him to anyone and, often times, the memory slipped into the depths of her mind, Haruhi never truly forgot the pale-eyed boy she met in the park on a rainy afternoon.

* * *

The second time she encountered him, she had just started middle school.

Her books dropped to the floor with a clatter as a shoulder smashed into her own. She uttered a soft curse, huffing as she knelt down to pick up fallen books and papers, doing her best not to fall over as in-between class traffic jostled her around roughly.

Just as she reached for her history book, another's hand touched the cover and scooped it up out of her reach. The brown-haired girl blinked owlishly, looking up at the person towering over her diminutive form.

A short, soft breath left her as she stared up into familiar eyes. "Ah..."

"Here you go." He said with a smile, pale eyes squinting somewhat with the action. "Be careful next time, yeah?"

"Thanks, um..." She saw the small roman numeral pin on the collar of his uniform. "Thanks, Senpai."

His lips pulled into a wide, lazy grin as he pivoted on his heel and gave her a two-fingered wave over his shoulder. Haruhi watched his back for a short second before heading off towards her own class, dismissing the unsettling gleam in his eyes and how it reminded her of a piercing sadness that had numbed into a dull throb over the years.

* * *

"Hasegawa-sensei, are you— _Oh_." She mumbled quietly, regretfully.

Haruhi carefully, silently shut the classroom door when she'd caught a glimpse of her teacher talking to another student, hoping that she hadn't interrupted an important conference of some kind.

Blowing a small breath that shifted her bangs, she leaned against the wall beside the door with books held tightly to her chest.

She had wanted to get a second opinion on her plans to attempt taking Ouran Academy's entrance exam—it was notoriously difficult to pass and, despite her many hours dedicated to studying and applying herself, there were still a few more things she wanted to make sure of before she made a final decision.

So, she waited.

Minutes passed. The halls emptied as students and faculty went to their after school clubs and activities, leaving her feeling as though she were the only person that remained in the entirety of the building. Haruhi looked down at her shoes with a frown, growing somewhat impatient and bored.

"—ount to not—"

"—rying, Hase—"

Her head tilted incrementally as vague, almost indistinct words came from the classroom. She wasn't a nosy person; she preferred to keep others' business separated from her own unless necessity dictated otherwise.

But...

...Perhaps, it was the listlessness of waiting for over fifteen minutes or, maybe, her somewhat gossipy, intrusive classmates were beginning to rub off on her but, for whatever reason, Haruhi began to get this _urge_ to listen in on the conversation that was unfolding on the other side of the wall.

Thoughtfully nibbling on her lower lip, Haruhi came to a decision.

Hastily, she glanced in both directions, making sure that the hallway was completely clear before pressing her ear against the classroom door to listen in.

"—apply yourself, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"I _know_. I keep trying but I can't—"

"Your scores are below average, completely horrid." A heavy sigh. "I doubt you'd be able to get into even the worst school with these... Did you even _bother_ to try?"

A pause. "...What about a tutor? I could—"

"There are no available tutors; everyone else is actually taking the time to study and prepare for their future." A dismissive, almost disdainful hum. "Perhaps you should've thought about that before you spent all that time dallying, yes?"

"I—"

A sharp, reverberating sound from some ways away made Haruhi practically squeal in fright but she managed to muffle the noise with her books. She darted away from the door, pressing her back against the wall, attempting to look completely innocent and relaxed but managing the complete opposite. The classroom door opened just as she heaved out a heavy sigh, revealing a student with a blank expression on his face.

She tried not to stare at him, ashamed that she'd eavesdropped on a private conversation such as that.

"G-good afternoon, uh, Senpai." She greeted but the upperclassman said nothing as he passed by her. Her eyebrows furrowed as chilly blue eyes barely glanced her way. "A-ah..."

She blew out a soft breath as she calmed herself. Placing her hand on the knob, she entered the classroom with a polite smile on her face. "Hasegawa-sensei? May I speak with you? It's about my studies for Ouran."

The rotund man smiled amiably as if he hadn't just finished speaking with another student in such an ugly, contemptuous manner. "Ah, Fujioka-kun! It's _such_ a pleasure to see a student actually care so much about their grades! It brings a tear to my eye..."

"...Yes, Sensei. Thank you."

...That was the third time she had encountered him.

And the last time she willingly eavesdropped on another's conversation.

* * *

The fourth time she encountered him, she had been celebrating her passing Ouran's entrance exam with a couple of friends.

"Hey... Didn't that guy go to our school?" Her friend, Ami, had inquired while nodding towards something out the window they were seated next to.

Haruhi looked up from her smoothie, eyes squinting as she watched the boy across the street meander through the shelves of the tiny used bookstore. She opened her mouth, intent on asking just how Ami knew who the guy was but then she herself caught sight of those eyes and any words that she had to say fell from her tongue.

"...Yeah." Reika, another friend of hers, said after a small pause. "Yeah. I know him. My older brother was in the same class as him." She sniffed derisively. "Said he didn't even _try_ during class. He said he was _always_ getting the answers wrong, no matter how simple the questions were."

"Really?" Ami asked, intrigued.

Haruhi merely wrinkled her nose, not comfortable with where the conversation was going.

"Yeah. He said he was dumber than a sack of bricks. The teachers just gave up on him because _he_ didn't even care." The ebony-haired girl shrugged a shoulder. "Rumor has it, he got into Gedo High, the _worst_ high school in our neighborhood—and he barely passed _that_ entrance exam!"

"Yeesh!" Ami sighed melodramatically. "He's cute but there's nothing less attractive than someone with no future." Her hazel eyes twinkled in amusement. " _And_ he has no drive or ambition? Where do you'll think he'll end up?"

Haruhi calmly finished off her drink, letting the cool drink futilely soothe the boiling anger that burned her insides.

"Between jail and homelessness, I think he'd be better off de—" Her words stopped abruptly as she watched their brown-haired friend ease out of the booth they resided in. "Huh? Haruhi, where are you going?"

The girl paused in her action of tossing away her trash, taking a brief moment to contemplate answering. She turned, head tilted as she regarded the girls with flat, dead eyes that made them cringe violently in response—a sight that made the corners of her lips lift, resembling an expression that looked pleasant, when in reality, it was something much more cruel.

"Ami, Reika, thank you. Thank you for revealing just how shallow and self-absorbed you both are." Her eyes narrowed as she continued to speak, "I have no time to waste on two ignorant, prejudiced idiots who would condemn and insult an individual based on rumors and heresy."

"Haruhi—"

"I hope the both of you have a nice day. Please don't bother yourselves with talking to me again."

"W-wha—"

Haruhi let out a sigh as she let the door close inaudibly behind her, swallowing the two girls' unneeded apologies and explanations. Honestly, she wasn't exactly _hurt_ about Ami and Reika, more appalled and disgusted that such words could emerge from two people she'd known since the beginning of middle school.

 _No need to let it bother me any longer._ Her hands tightened on the strap of her satchel. _Better I find out their true personalities now rather than later._

Feeling summarily better about the situation, she proceeded to head home, to enjoy some alone time with a period piece she'd been watching and a mug of chamomile tea.

* * *

For reasons beyond her control, she had been roped into becoming a host for Ouran Academy's notorious Host Club and, in spite of her initial reluctance, she had fallen into a sort of routine.

While classes were in session, she spent her time taking detailed, meticulous notes to keep her all-important academic standing in tact while also doing her best to ignore the two devil twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, and their annoying antics. During club hours, her time was spent entertaining the predominately female clientele that arrived each afternoon and, again, doing her best to deal with the exasperating members of the club—mainly the twins along with the "King" of the Host Club, Tamaki Suoh.

 _There's never a dull moment with those guys around._ Her lips twitched as she thought of the boys, something akin to amusement playing over her features as she shook her head.

They were meddling, loud, annoying, dramatic _and_ idiotic a vast majority of the time but dealing with them was similar to dealing with her own father, meaning she generally knew how to handle them without gaining a migraine.

"At least they've decided to give me a break." She muttered to herself as she checked her phone for any missed messages. "For once..."

They had a habit of dragging her off to various excursions on the weekends—it wouldn't be much of problem if they didn't appear on her doorstep unannounced at the crack of dawn.

It happened _every_ weekend like clockwork but they had yet to show their faces on that particular day. By early afternoon, Haruhi had actually gotten to roll around in bed, prepare a filling breakfast _and_ enjoy an insightful history program—without _any_ interruptions, whatsoever. It was somewhat sad and a little embarrassing that she quickly found herself out of activities to partake in and, without much else to do, she went to a convenience store near Myōgadani Station for a few items, ambled through the aisles of a bookstore and purchased a book she'd been wanting before aimlessly wandering around for a couple hours.

 _Who would've thought that I'm practically dependent on them for entertainment?_ She sighed softly, eyes flickering over the venues before landing on the video arcade sitting at a corner.

Haruhi had never been one for video games. She could readily admit that, after her mother's death, a large bulk of her time had been put solely into studying to pursue her dreams in law. Even then, she honestly couldn't see the appeal of them; they seemed almost _mindless_ to her, especially when she heard the twins gushing amongst themselves about the latest fighter or MMO, about "trolling" and "hax." It made her tilt her head in confusion every time she heard the almost foreign words combined with the twins' devious snickering.

She wasn't interested in games but something urged her to go in.

Curiosity was the most likely culprit.

...And it wasn't like she had anything better to do.

It was dim but the various bright, vibrant neon colors that emanated from each machine illuminated the vicinity. It was moderately congested, groups of two or three crowded around one machine or another. Again, Haruhi couldn't fathom what was so great about them—if anything, they looked to be money vacuums, what with how players continuously spent money on tokens, only to lose them and buy more. She shook her head, vague thoughts of what the hosts would do if they were in a "commoner's amusement facility" floating around in her head as she turned on her heel, intent on leaving and accepting that she would be heading home early for the day.

"... _So cool_... _!_ "

The brown-eyed girl stopped at the breathy sigh, minutely perking up because it sounded like a client from the club—or more like someone who had laid eyes on one of the hosts.

"... _Cute…!_ "

However, she immediately realized it couldn't have been them—the word _subtle_ wasn't in their vocabulary and she most definitely would've known the very moment that they showed up.

"… _He's doing another song...!_ "

Interest piqued, Haruhi followed the soft, gleeful voices, her head turning and catching sight of a small gathering near another machine. She trotted over, observing inquisitively from the side of the congregation to see what deserved such excitement befitting an event from the Host Club.

A rhythm game, she noted just as the music started up and, at that moment, Haruhi witnessed what it was that had the female group sighing in bliss and admiration.

His movements were sinuous, fluid; hips swinging gracefully, arm motions sharp and his body undulating sensually, doing nothing but making many of the girls swoon and rhapsodize his performance. His tall figure moved in a way she didn't think possible, considering he had to simultaneously step on the correct arrows that appeared on screen—but he did so with such seamless ease that it was reminiscent of flowing water.

 _Senpai…_ Her eyes widened a touch in surprise as she seized a glimpse of muted blue eyes and a mischievous smirk.

It was obvious that he was enjoying himself and the way he was regarded by his spectators; he even entertained the girls' demands for his attention. Haruhi watched as he smiled, his fingers brushing against a girl's cheek during a twist movement. The girl became rather flushed, swaying in place as if heavily drunk before toppling back into the arms of the mob. The brown-haired host let out an exasperated, somewhat amused sigh as the girl was swallowed up and her spot quickly claimed by another—she'd seen that scene many a times in Ouran when the hosts were a bit more _overzealous_ than usual.

"Please don't stop!"

"One more time!"

"Yeah! Again, again!"

He chuckled as he stepped off the dance pad, a hand running through hair as he simultaneously wiped away sweat clinging to his face. The tall teen allowed the girls to crowd around him, to tug on his shirt sleeves and hang off his shoulders—all without an ounce of irritation, modesty or exhaustion. Haruhi was impressed; again, she'd only seen such things in the Host Club, where the boys were always energetic and impeccably dressed, regardless of any strenuous activities they may have performed at any time during any particular day.

"Sorry pretty ladies." He apologized smoothly, fanning out his jacket's collar. "I gotta get going."

"Where!?"

His voice hitched minutely as he spoke, "I-I have a meeting with someone important to me."

"Do you _have_ to go!?" A blonde donning heavy makeup clung to his arm tightly. "Why can't you stay with us!?"

The congregation murmured in agreement, all huddling closer to the teen as if they looked to somehow become a part of his being. He kept his emotions well-hidden behind a charmingly languid smile but the brown-haired girl saw a glimmer of alarm present in his eyes as he attempted to ease his body from the group that was gradually compressing around him. Haruhi felt a familiar feeling of dread pool into the pit of her stomach as his icy gaze slowly landed on her form, the sole outlier of his mob of groupies and she just _knew_ she would find herself in a role she wanted no part of—and she'd be damned if it was because of some guy she barely even knew in passing!

Quickly, she turned on her heel, intent on making her escape without drawing any unnecessary attention to herself.

"O-oh! There you are!" His voice called out, obviously strained and terribly suspicious. "I didn't know you were here! Waiting for me so conveniently!"

Mentally, she smacked her forehead as she froze in her tracks, her shoulders hunched and her left foot still in the process of meeting the carpeted floor. The brunette entertained the idea of simply ignoring the pale eyed teen and going about her business, essentially leaving him to the metaphorical wolves. However, before she could come to a definitive course of action, she felt a weight land over her shoulders and an unintentional squawk of surprise escape her lips as that same weight abruptly pulled her into a solid form.

"I-I'm sorry for making you wait for me! I'll have to make sure to treat you to something special!" He laughed over the girls' cries of both outrage and anguish, nervousness barely evident as he inched them closer to exit. "I'm so sorry ladies but I can't keep my little sweetheart waiting for me!"

"B-but—"

"Sorry! Gotta go! See ya ladies!" He interrupted, wasting no time in speeding the two of them to the door and to the outside world.

Her significantly shorter legs barely kept up with his wide strides but they made out into the cool afternoon without any incidents. She allowed herself to be carted off to a safe distance before deeming the spot appropriate to yank away from his slackened grip. Letting out a soft, irritated huff and adjusting her grocery bag, she pinned the pale eyed teen down with a piercing gaze that made him cringe regretfully.

He chuckled, scratching his cheek. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with my nonsense." He inclined his head in apology. "I don't usually snatch up random people like that."

"I'm used to it." She replied shortly. "Just don't do something like that again—not without a warning, at least."

"Ah but I _did_ warn you." He claimed with a wide, impish smile and his finger pointed towards the sky, giving Haruhi a vague sense of déjà vu. "Our eyes met in that place, at that exact moment in time. I think we may be meant to be."

There was a pregnant pause.

Haruhi could only frown up at the smiling teen as she flatly asked, "Are you serious?"

"No, I'm not." He said in a rather matter-of-fact tone before he lowered his head and lifted a hand to hide his chuckle. "Sorry, just trying to keep it civil with no hard feelings."

Surprisingly, she found herself unable to stay irritated at him. It was odd. Perhaps it was because of his demeanor—he came off in such a genuinely friendly and likable way. Could it be because she had spent so much time associating with obnoxious, idiotic rich kids that, subconsciously, she was welcoming of an individual that didn't display any of the qualities she'd become so accustomed to?

…Or maybe it was because of his eyes, such a clear and clean blue that they swallowed up any ounce of vexation that her mind could muster?

Unable to come up with a proper explanation, she merely shrugged her shoulders. "Like I said, just don't do something like that again."

He nodded absently, eyes slowly going over her form for a moment before he abruptly asked, "Do you wanna go out?"

"Stop that."

He snorted shortly before bursting into laughter at her blunt response.

"N-no, I meant if you wanted to go out for l-lunch." He said in between chuckles, his eyes twinkling with mirth and his mischievous grin softening. "As a proper apology for bothering you."

She opened her mouth to refuse his offer but stopped; it wasn't like she had anything better to do—that was the whole reason she ended up going into the video arcade in the first place. And it wasn't as if she were the kind of person to hold a grudge for something as insignificant as poking some innocent, harmless fun. Plus, he was looking at her with such hopeful eyes and she could see this _gleam_ that made her heart pang in a certain way… Haruhi decided it wouldn't hurt to humor his hospitality.

"All right." She said, a small and friendly smile on her lips. "Senpai."

* * *

They settled on takoyaki.

It was cheap and they had ended up splitting the already diminutive price between them because, despite her senpai treating her, she didn't feel entirely comfortable letting him buy something she was perfectly capable of getting herself. He had been reluctant at first but, between a _look_ that she gave him and the impatient glare the cashier had given him, he yielded with what Haruhi suspected was a grateful expression on his face, though he tried to hide it with a sweet, dimpled smile.

Together, they had grabbed a window seat, easing themselves in and started eating, falling into an awkward state of silence. It didn't last for very long, however...

"But our system actually suggests there are _less_ miscarriages and faulty convictions. If the only cases are open-and-shut, then there's a very low chance of a person being wrongly accused for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time." She said rather animatedly, a small hint of forcefulness tinging her voice. "Compared to a Western trial by jury, in which you get cases of varying degrees of certainty with evidence that is likely to be sparse or circumstantial; if the jury happens to favor the prosecution's reasoning or find the limited evidence enough to make a decision, then there's a greater chance of an innocent man going to jail, or a criminal going back onto the street."

He chuckled lowly, eyes glancing down as he stuffed another takoyaki into his mouth. "But those facts actually bring out the _real_ problem, yeah. Think about it for a second. If our prosecutors only ever take the cases they _know_ they can win, what about all the other cases where evidence isn't as solid? That means that a whole buncha criminals are getting away from trials and convictions just because the prosecutors don't wanna lose their jobs in trying to bring them to justice."

The brown-haired girl nodded. "If our court systems changed to something similar to a Western court, that would take pressure off of prosecutors to get convictions one hundred percent of the time—"

"—encouraging them to take less clear-cut cases and, that way, more criminals could actually be sentenced." He finished, munching on another takoyaki as he reclined back into his seat. "Simple, yeah?"

She couldn't stop the tiny, whimsical smile that appeared on her face as she stared at the older boy across from her. "Exactly."

It was surprising. Haruhi Fujioka knew better than to judge a book by its cover—and she had condemned Reika and Ami for doing the exact same thing—but the thought was there, in the very back of her mind, gnawing at her brain, leaving nothing but guilt behind the longer she spoke with him.

That he wasn't supposed to know these things. He—who supposedly went to Koishikawa's worst high school—shouldn't have been talking about Japan's law and judicial system with such insight. Haruhi went to the best education establishment in Bunkyō but she seldom came across another who could be engaged in candid intellectual debate. Not only that, he shared the same viewpoints and grievances that she did.

Honestly, she was ashamed—and there were very few moments in which she was ashamed about something.

"Senpai?" She glanced down at the table. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He blinked, turning his head towards her. " _Oh_ , I know. It's because you didn't think I'd know about all that stuff, huh?"

"Yes." She replied honestly, looking at his face with a regretful frown.

He waved a dismissive hand and simply said, "Don't worry about it, yeah."

Haruhi's eyebrows furrowed. "But—

"Let's not talk about it, okay? Let's talk about _us_." He said, sending her a playful smirk that made her blow out an amused sigh and roll her eyes. "Seriously. We've been out and we barely even know each other."

He was good at hiding his emotions and feelings, she'd give him that. Had she not been paying attention, she wouldn't have noticed the way his lips had briefly curled down in bitterness. The expression was there and then it was gone, almost as if it had never been there to begin with.

Her eyes narrowed. "…I'm Haruhi Fujioka, first year at Ouran High School. You?"

He held out a hand, a wide, dimpled smile covering his face. "Me? Arashi Hamasaki, third year at Gedo High. Nice to meet you."

She stared down at his larger hand for a moment before grasping it in a firm grip, minutely noticing how much larger his was compared to her own. They let go seconds after and, to her surprise, his hand shot out, gently landing on her head to muss up her short locks with a friendly ruffle. Her eyes clenched closed, her shoulders hunching as she batted away his hands—it made her feel like a small child on a dreary, rainy afternoon once more.

"I couldn't resist." He said with a chuckle, retracting his hand. "You're too cute."

"Thanks." She replied sarcastically, still somewhat put off by his minute hostility.

His smile fell before it returned a moment later. He picked up a takoyaki, holding it out to her lips as he regarded her with his twinkling blue eyes and charming smile.

"Don't be mad at me, Haru-san." Her lips pursed at the nickname. "Don't make such a pouty face. Here. Have another takoyaki."

"You don't have to treat me like a little kid." She swiped the food from his hand, popping it into her mouth. "I can feed myself."

"That so? I—" He stopped abruptly.

The brown-haired girl cocked an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Arashi-senpai?"

He lifted a finger, pointing out the window. "Do you, uh, know those people?"

"What people?" Her head turned and, after a moment, a dark look crossed over her face. "Oh. You mean _those_ people."

She could only drop her head in irritation as she tried to ignore the embarrassing sight of Tamaki and the twins' faces pressed into the restaurant's glass window, eyes wide and probing as they stared unblinkingly at her companion and herself. The brown-eyed girl suppressed the urge to slump down in her seat, slink away from sight and run away back to her home.

" _HARUHI! MY BELOVED DAUGHTER!_ " Tamaki's voice bellowed, somewhat muffled as he pressed himself closer to the glass as if trying to force himself through it. " _DO NOT FEAR! DADDY IS HERE!"_

She smacked her forehead.

That was their fifth encounter, interrupted by three rich idiots.

* * *

 **A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a story. I hope it isn't too horrid. The MC/OC may seem familiar to a couple people. That is because he is the property of a fellow author and friend that helped me with a few things. Their name is** _ **RubyNightsGavlyn**_ **and, unfortunately, they've gone and cancelled their story for a lack of inspiration. I hope that this story will be enjoyable despite being a spiritual successor of sorts.**

 **Leave any constructive criticism and any pairings that you'd like to see. Contrary to what it seems, this isn't a Haruhi/OC story—unless you want it to be.**

 **[EDIT 26/01/2016: Edited the format. Removed a bit of text that was unnecessary.]**


	2. TEAR II

**Disclaimer:** _Ouran High School Host Club_ © Bisco Hatori.

* * *

 **II.**

"Are you all right, my precious daughter!?" Tamaki's cheek nuzzled the top of her head, his grip rather constricting and confining as he hugged her close to his chest. "What horrors has this vagabond wrought upon you!? Forcing those awful-looking finger foods down your throat as you choke on your own stomach fluids!? Rubbing your darling head so brutally that it snaps off your delicate neck and rolls down the boulevard, causing traffic to back up from multiple vehicular accidents!?"

"I think you should probably let—" Arashi attempted to point out, only to be interrupted by the twins.

"I think you—" Kaoru started.

"—should keep your mouth SHUT!" Hikaru finished, growling lowly as he jabbed a finger into her senpai's face.

She let out a strangled, garbled noise resembling a choke, arms and legs flailing around as she struggled to fight for the right to breathe. Amongst the chaos, one of her waving arms collided with the side of Tamaki's head, sending him reeling and causing his vice grip to slacken. She landed on her feet unsteadily, hastily gulping in cool afternoon air to fuel her oxygen-depraved lungs. Once she was sure that all was well with her being, Haruhi's head whipped towards Tamaki, who had taken to groaning pitifully from both the force of her blow and her steely glare.

"What do you think you're doing, Tamaki?" She took a menacing step towards the trembling Idiot-King, foregoing honorifics to further express her ire.

He jumped in fright, quickly skittering behind the human-shield Kyoya, who merely looked on with an indiscernible expression across his pale face. The blond second year pointed a shaky finger towards the siblings. "I-It was them, Haruhi! They s-said this ruffian was a-a-accosting you and I only responded as any doting father would in order to preserve his only daughter's sacred virtue!"

Her head craned towards the rapidly paling twins, eyes narrowing as she noted the way Kaoru furtively inched away from his elder sibling.

"Is that right?" Her eyebrow twitched as she took a step in their direction. "Hikaru, Kaoru… You two are in so much trouble."

Before she could act, however, Arashi blocked her path, his hands held up in a placating manner. "Now, now, Haru-san. There's no need to be angry with your friends—they were only worried about you." He gestured towards himself with a languid smile and a chuckle. "I mean, I'm not exactly the type of guy you'd want your daughter to date."

"First, I'm not his daughter." Haruhi frowned, his words not quite sitting well with her. "And…don't say that about yourself. There's nothing wrong with you, Arashi-senpai." She shot Hikaru a hard glare, silencing the snort that barely made it past his lips. "Don't listen to them. You're fine just the way you are."

Again, he smiled, though Haruhi could tell that he didn't necessarily consider her encouragement to be true. "Well, look… I gotta get going anyways." He shoved a hand into his jacket's pocket, using the other to give her a quick, two-fingered wave as he backed away. "Nice officially meeting you, Haru-san. See you around, yeah."

"Ah… Yeah." She lifted a hand in response, watching his back before turning to face the hosts with a heavy, irritated sigh. "So, what exactly are you guys doing here?"

The blond Idiot-King burst into tears, throwing his arms out in order to embrace her. "Dearest daughter! We were coming to retrieve you for an afternoon of appreciating nature's beauty at the Kōrakuen Garden!"

She sidestepped Tamaki's flying glomp, shaking her head as he collided with a lamppost behind her. "This late? You guys usually show up on my doorstep before it's even light out."

Finally, Kyoya spoke, "I do recall someone complaining about not being able to sleep in on the weekends." He adjusted his glasses with something like a smirk twitching at the corners of his lips. "Being the compassionate friends that we are, we took that request into consideration today."

"Yeah! And this is how you repay us? By being all lovey-dovey with some _guy_!" Hikaru spat out, amber eyes narrowed and lips set in a harsh scowl. "Who was he anyways?"

Haruhi cocked an eyebrow at the elder twin's behavior. "Really, it's not any of your business…but he's my senpai from middle school." She glanced in the direction Arashi left in. "We ran into each other and we started talking. There's nothing romantic going on between me and him—or me and _anyone_ , for that matter."

"Talking?" Hikaru scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. "Didn't look like just _talking_ to me…"

"We were talking." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Arashi-senpai isn't the kind of person to take advantage of another."

She was sure of that.

"HARUHI!" She squawked as Tamaki managed to wrap her in another life-squeezing hold. "You must be careful of who you converse with! He may have been a senpai in years past but he may be a predator now!"

Tamaki hoisted her under one arm while pointing a finger in a random direction. "Now, come, my beloved daughter! Daddy will replace those horrible memories that vagabond embedded into your mind!"

* * *

As much as she wanted to refute the claims of Arashi-senpai being some kind of thug, she was unable to do so due to severe annoyance and dizziness from the blond Idiot-King's excessive zeal over the course of their outing.

* * *

"Haruhi-kun, is there something wrong with Tamaki-senpai, Hikaru-kun and Kaoru-kun?" Kimiko whispered softly, huddling closer to her favored host. "They seem a bit… _under the weather_."

The brown-haired host blinked. "Are they? I hadn't really noticed."

Momoka pressed a finger to her bottom lip in thought. "But… Don't you all look out for each other?"

"Eh. If there's something wrong, they'd mention it." She shrugged after a short moment, her lips pulling into a kind smile. "Coffee and strawberry muffins? I made them myself."

" _Oh! Me!_ "

With the conversation safely diverted away from the Idiot-Trio, Haruhi allowed herself to cast a covert glance towards the three boys.

Tamaki's actions were still enchanting, suave but noticeably lacked the enthusiasm that he was so popular and loved for. The twins were missing something as well, most likely because Kaoru was making up for his older sibling's listlessness by portraying the dominant of the pair. Despite many of the customers being unaware of which twin was which, it was obvious that _something_ was wrong.

If she were being honest, it was her fault. She'd taken to giving them the cold shoulder, speaking in incredibly clipped tones and glaring at them any time their gazes met.

After their rude, unnecessary behavior towards her senpai—Arashi-senpai—Haruhi thought the punishment was fitting. Not only did they accuse her senpai of being some kind of criminal with no evidence, they made her leave her purchases in the restaurant they were dining in. Again, she wasn't the kind of person to hold such petty grudges but she had been searching for that book for months, saving every bit of change that she could spare in order to afford the admittedly outrageous price she knew it would cost.

 _The one thing I allowed myself to splurge on and it ends up as a waste!_ Her gaze sharpened into a fine point. _A limited edition copy of_ _Samurai and Sakura Blossoms_ _with detailed author's notes written on each page!_

They'd each in turn offered to replace it for her, claiming to have connections to secure her another limited edition copy but she'd refused. Simply replacing the item wouldn't make it any better for Haruhi—there were principles that needed to be adhered to and just getting her another book wouldn't right the grave wrong that had been made.

"May I have a moment of your time, Haruhi-kun?"

"Sure, Kyoya-senpai." She stood from her seat, smiling gently at her customers. "Please excuse me."

It was obvious what the bespectacled second year wanted to speak to her about but Haruhi decided it best to stay silent. He led her a small distance from the rest of the patrons and hosts, near the dressing rooms. He hovered closely to her side, causing her eyes to narrow and her shoulders to stiffen in slight discomfort—she was positive he was attempting to intimidate her. Beneath his calm, collected and detached countenance, Kyoya was privy to many interrogation and torture techniques, no doubt handed down from his family's personal police force.

"Haruhi, I'm sure you know what it is I wish to speak of." He stated simply.

"You want me to forgive Tamaki-senpai and the twins." She responded flatly, cocking an eyebrow as she glanced over at him.

He nodded shortly, lips curling down into a light frown. "While I admit that the pathetic looks on their faces was amusing at first, it has gotten to the point where it's negatively impacting the club's earnings and profits."

"They'll get over it." She rolled her eyes. "They _always_ do."

"I doubt it. If you haven't yet noticed, the hosts' mental and emotional state is proportional to that of _your_ mental and emotional state. The sooner you rectify this qualm you have with the three of them, the sooner the club's profit margin can be corrected." His lips twitched at the corners, slowly forming a smirk that resembled nothing short of a demon's psychotic grin. " _Or_ I could simply add the total amount of earnings we've lost at each week's end to your debt."

She barely suppressed the violent shiver that wracked her petite form as she shifted her gaze away nervously, wanting nothing more than to step away from Kyoya's overwhelmingly intimidating aura. Instead, she bore the brunt of it, smiling— _grimacing_ —up at the teen. "I see your point, Kyoya-senpai."

He adjusted his glasses, the eerie gleam briefly blinding her and making her wince in pain. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement, Haruhi-kun." He smiled as he made a motion with his hand, shooing her away. "You can return to your duties now."

"…Yeah." She responded weakly, watching numbly as the Cool Host made his way back to his rightful place behind his laptop's screen and calculator.

Haruhi's lips pursed almost petulantly and her eyebrow twitched violently as she made her way back to her female companions, irritated about the fact that she had to forgive the three idiots, not because they actually _earned_ the right to be forgiven but simply because Kyoya had twisted her arm into doing so.

 _They sure do have a way of getting what they want._ The Natural Host seated herself back down, giving her girls a smile that bordered on being somewhat bitter.

"Sorry about that." She said softly, conversationally as the two girls regarded her with curiosity. "Kyoya-senpai just wanted my opinion on something and—"

" _H-Haruhi-kun!"_ A light voice called, emergence clearly evident in the speaker's cry.

The cross-dressing host looked up, searching for the source and landing on a girl briskly making her way towards her table.

"Ruri…" She whispered under her breath, recalling the girl's name.

Another one of her usual customers, Ruri Karasuma was known for being rather mousy but decidedly polite girl. She was self-effacing and preferred to keep to herself often times, only creeping out of her shell to visit the Host Club every other afternoon to see Haruhi, her designated host. Ruri wasn't fond of attention and Haruhi surmised it was because her father was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice. He was a prosecutor if Haruhi remembered correctly and, as such, the man probably had many enemies that could possibly target his family in attempts at revenge; Ruri stayed quiet as a means to protect both herself and her family.

"What's wrong, Karasuma-san?" She inquired, gently placing a hand on the girl's shoulder in hopes of calming her panic. "Did something happen?"

The dark-haired third year panted softly, somehow managing to keep her grace intact while stumbling over her words. "I-It's—There's—" She stopped herself and breathed in deeply before letting out a slow breath. "T-there's someone— _a boy_ —waiting f-for you n-near the f-f-front g-gates!"

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For me?"

Her hazel eyes shifted away nervously as she fiddled with her uniform's bow. "W-well, h-he said he was l-looking for a _g-g-girl_ named Haruhi Fujioka…b-but t-there's… Y-you're not a-a…" Her cheeks flushed in presumed embarrassment. "Y-you're not a girl, Haruhi-kun, b-but you s-sort of _look_ feminine so I just a-assumed he was t-talking about y-y-you."

Haruhi prided herself on hiding her alarm at Ruri's words and she noticed that the other hosts and clients had inched their way towards her table, both intrigued and cautious of the mousy student's words. The Natural Host glanced back, locking eyes with Kyoya before turning back at Ruri with a calm smile. "Is that right? Did he tell you his name?"

Ruri jolted, her rosy cheeks flushing deeper. "U-um! I-I think I may h-have run a-away b-b-before I got his name." Her shoulders hunched in anxiousness and shame. "B-but, I know e-exactly what he looked l-like…" Then, softly she added, "…his eyes were so clear… _beautiful_ …"

And with that vague, almost inaudible whisper, Haruhi knew.

"Could you please lead me to him, Karasuma-san?"

* * *

"T-there he is, Haruhi-kun." Ruri murmured quietly, hands clutching together apprehensively. "What n-now?"

"…Could you wait here for a moment, Karasuma-san?"

She didn't quite feel any particular way when encountering him for the sixth time, only that it was a weird run of coincidence that kept them in touch with each other despite being nothing more than acquaintances—and that was _pushing_ it a little as they were armed with the barest of minimums concerning personal information. They didn't quite know each other but there was an inexplicable understanding between them that Haruhi couldn't ignore; she didn't have such a straightforward connection with _anyone_ , not when it concerned her interests and ideals.

"Haru-san." He greeted her with a dimpled smile she was surprisingly getting used to.

"Senpai." She returned his gesture with a smaller smile and an incline of her head. "You were looking for me?"

His head dipped almost bashfully, gaze dropping as he rummaged around in his bag for an unknown object. "Yeah, I been wanting to give something to you."

Warm, pleasant surprise rushed through her form as Arashi pulled out a familiar plastic bag, the same that she had left in the restaurant days prior. She reached out with subdued eagerness, sifting through the bag to see if all her purchases were present, though something in the back of her mind told her the precaution was unnecessary. Unable to contain her happiness, she sent a beaming smile to her senpai, her eyes closing with the action as she was smiling so widely and brightly.

"Thank you so much, Senpai...!" She breathed, clutching her bag close to her chest as she regarded him with gleaming eyes. "I've been waiting to read this novel for so long!"

He chuckled lowly, sheepishly as he rubbed his lip piercing. "I wouldn't thank me, Haru-san. There's a reason it took so long for me to give it back."

"You read it?" She blinked before letting out her own short chuckle. "As long as you don't spoil it for me, I don't really care."

"Thanks. I don't think I've ever met a girl that's so forgiving." He smiled lopsidedly, reaching out and mussing up her hair in that familiar fashion. "I appreciate it."

Haruhi hid a grimace, recalling how hostile she'd been towards the twins and Tamaki. She didn't necessarily feel bad about it, not with Arashi-senpai standing before her and returning her belongings and generally acting like a gentleman—the complete _opposite_ of how the Idiot-Trio viewed him. She wasn't ashamed per say, either, but she could truthfully admit that her senpai's words made a pang of guilt lance through her because of her behavior.

Then, she remembered Kyoya was coercing her into apologizing.

She stopped feeling so bad about the situation.

"Thanks for the compliment, Senpai…" She hesitated for a brief moment before continuing, "But I'm not a girl."

He didn't respond right away, instead taking the time to rake his eyes over her form and, in particular, her chest. "Is that so?"

It was evident in his tone that he didn't believe her words. She drew her gaze away from his pale one, eyes slowly going over to where Ruri stood, along with the _rest_ of the Host Club whom had seemingly appeared out of thin air. A flash of irritation bolted through her. Was it really necessary for them to encroach upon every moment of solitude and privacy she obtained?

"Indeed, it _is_ true!" Tamaki said smugly, sauntering up beside Haruhi and wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulder. "So, now that you've returned my precious _son's_ belongings, I'm sure you have other business to take care of!"

"Yeah!" The twins chimed in complacently, flanking her and Tamaki's sides. "You can _leave_ now!"

Arashi's eyes squinted in confusion, eyebrows furrowing as he examined the blond Idiot-King. "…Aren't you the one that kept calling Haru-san your precious _daughter_?" He paused, eyes narrowing further as he tapped a finger to his lip. "Yeah… Yeah, that was you. You just kept yelling it out too, yeah, like you wanted the whole world to hear."

The Idiot-King quickly paled. "W-what!? I said no such thing!"

"Stop lying!" Hikaru added, a glare fixated on Arashi's perplexed face.

"Yeah!" Kaoru agreed.

" _Why are you lying on Tamaki-senpai!?"_

" _Leave Tamaki-kun alone!"_

" _Tamaki-kun would never stoop to lying!"_

"Yes, you must be mistaken. I don't recall Tamaki _ever_ referring to Haruhi-kun as his daughter—there's no need for him to do so as Haruhi-kun is _male_." Kyoya smiled coolly, head tilting as he regarded her senpai behind gleaming glasses. "I'm not sure what you believe you'll gain by lying but I suggest you cease this nonsense before things get… _out of hand_."

She could only watch and listen with growing disgust and disbelief as the crowd threw harsh words of condemnation and scorn towards her pale-eyed senpai, all caused by the individuals that she (reluctantly) called friends. Déjà vu slammed into her like a speeding eighteen-wheeler, her mind conjuring up memories of two ignorant classmates spouting unfounded lies and judgement on Arashi, who had been none the wiser. Right before her, the same scenario was unfolding but, unlike that past moment, she couldn't speak in his defense—she couldn't protect her senpai from the false allegations and lies that were being thrown at him like rotten tomatoes.

She couldn't protect him because, if she spoke out against the majority, it would only expose the web of lies that were threaded around her.

She couldn't protect _him_ because she had to protect _herself_.

It contradicted every moral that was contained within every fiber of her being and, as Arashi looked to her with clear, pleading eyes, she could only look away in overwhelming shame, abandoning him to the verdict that had been unfairly pushed upon him.

Haruhi _knew_ her mother was curling in her grave at her daughter's actions.

"I think you should leave now." Kyoya's lips curled into a smirk, deviousness tarnishing the otherwise attractive expression.

The glacial stare of Arashi swept over the congregation before it landed on Haruhi's bowed head, lingering for only the briefest of moments. "…Yeah. Sorry."

And, as she listened to the sound of his footsteps fade away, Haruhi Fujioka realized she was _still_ powerless and weak, just like that small child crying for her mother on a rainy afternoon.

* * *

Tamaki puffed his chest out triumphantly as he gloated, "My, that was close, wasn't it? That vagabond almost ousted Haruhi's secret!"

Hunny pouted fretfully, fiddling with Usa-chan's arms and legs. "But Tama-chan… Don't you think things got a little out of hand?" He glanced up at his best friend. "Don't you think, Takashi? That it went too far?"

The stoic teen nodded shortly, offering no other words on the subject but sending a concerned look towards the brooding young girl silently packing away her things.

"It was necessary." Kyoya replied apathetically, scribbling on his notepad. "My calculations predict that club rates will go down if Haruhi's true gender is revealed. Besides, it was for Haruhi's own protection as well."

"YES!" Tamaki shouted, throwing his arms in the air. "I'm so glad you're getting into your role, Mommy! Now, we can be a real family!"

Kyoya merely adjusted his glasses with a dry, "Whatever you say, Daddy."

Hikaru pursed his lips as he strolled over to the brown-haired girl, leaning his elbow on her shoulder playfully. "Yeah, that guy was totally bad news. Did you see those piercings? And that hair!"

Kaoru snickered softly next to his sibling. "His uniform was pretty awful, too! And those shoes! Like, what were those?"

The Little Devils erupted into a fit of obnoxious laughter, hovering close to her sides as if expecting her to join in on their rather abhorrent behavior. At that moment, the petite host's already simmering anger boiled up to a point, overflowing into her eyes and turning her vision a vicious red. In a sharp burst of fury, the brown-haired girl shoved the elder twin's limb from her being, pinning him with the most malevolent glower that she could possibly muster.

" _Don't. Touch. Me._ " She hissed lowly, venomously.

The six hosts stared at her with wide, unbelieving eyes, completely shocked at the girl's uncharacteristic behavior.

"H-Haru-chan?" Hunny ventured tentatively. "H-Haruhi? W-w-wha—"

"I'm going home." She interrupted tartly, throwing her satchel over her shoulder. "Don't bother me tomorrow."

She left without another word.

* * *

That night, Haruhi could only dream of crystal-like blue eyes and the anguished gleam that they harbored.

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter Two: Complete. This is what happens when you have a character that knows Haruhi's secret but is unable to join the Host Club, as is the usual way such individuals are dealt with. This chapter focused more on character development for Haruhi, as her perfection** _ **bothers**_ **me—no one ever really expands on her character at all. She's always this unflappable entity that is completely confident and altruistic with no troubles whatsoever. This is my attempt at giving her more depth.**

 **We'll get to see more of our MC, Arashi, soon. Maybe next chapter, actually, as I'd like to get his point of view in somewhere.**

 **I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews, favorites and follows. It makes my little heart pitter-patter. Please continue to leave them, along with any possible constructive criticisms and possible pairings. The story seems like it's Male!OC/Haruhi but it really isn't at the moment.**

 **[EDIT 25/01/2016: Completely removed the flashback scene as I felt it interrupted pacing. Also, added and changed some grammar, dialogue, etc.]**


	3. TEAR III

**Disclaimer:** _Ouran High School Host Club_ © Bisco Hatori.

* * *

 **III.**

To the average eye, Haruhi Fujioka was fine.

She participated during class, answering all questions with aplomb and taking her meticulous, detailed notes; her exemplary scores and class ranking remained unchanged. Her lunches were eaten with the added presence of either her fellow hosts or fawning admirers. She attended her after school activities without complaint and performed her duties well—she smiled when appropriate; laughed when appropriate; served refreshments when appropriate; lavished her customers with compliments when appropriate and so on, so forth.

Haruhi Fujioka was not fine.

The signs of her perturbation were minuscule, barely perceptible but they were visible for any willing to pay close enough attention to the Natural Host.

She spaced frequently, large eyes gaining a blurry, unfocused sheen that dulled their brilliance. Her responses to verbal stimuli were delayed by soft, fleeting sighs and light, ephemeral frowns. Her blunt manner of speaking appeared in tact but her flat tone carried a slight downtrodden hint.

On the surface, Haruhi Fujioka was fine.

Beneath that, she was not fine.

* * *

She sighed softly as she poured her nth cup of tea for her nth customer.

"Thank you, Haruhi-kun!" The girl breathed, nursing the cup as if it were the finest treasure. "To continue doing this even after what happened, it must be hard for you. If it hadn't been for the other hosts—"

"What? No. No, it isn't difficult for me in the slightest." The Natural Host hummed, lips tilting into a smile. "It wasn't anything serious. Let's talk about something else."

"A-ah, yes. I'm sorry, Haruhi-kun."

* * *

"Here, Haruhi-kun!"

She stared at the box in confusion, eyes flickering up to the beaming girl standing before her. "What are these? Cookies?"

The girl nodded, curls bouncing. "Yes! You're always so selfless, thinking of others before thinking of yourself—even at the cost of your own feelings and well being."

She smiled bashfully, flattered. "Well, I wouldn't say that..."

"You're so modest, Haruhi-kun." The girl giggled softly, using a hand to cover her lips. "These cookies are called _sabl_ _é_. They are a French shortbread cookie that were imported fresh from Normandy."

"Fresh?" The Natural Host inquired, opening the tin to look at the simply-shaped treats. "All the way from _Normandy_?"

"Yes! Mama and Papa have many connections, particularly those with shipping companies." She gestured towards the colorful tin box. "They are flavored with almond—I thought you would appreciate the subtle taste instead of lemon or orange zest."

The brown-haired host's bright eyes twinkled, a tender expression on her face as she bowed at her waist. Her admirer let out a sharp squeal that Haruhi was all too familiar with before the girl began to speak once more.

"To think that someone would insult your refined tastes by presenting you with such _garbage_! Store-bought tea and a used book?" The girl huffed with hands on her hips. "The nerve of that low-life! The least he could have done was gotten you something of _value_!"

The pleasant moment had been shattered with but a few words.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she gingerly gathering her belongings. "Yes, well… I have to get going. Thanks for the cookies. I'll make sure to enjoy them."

The curly-haired student made a noise of satisfaction, clasping her hands together and nodding. "I do hope you enjoy them, Haruhi-kun! Just ask if you'd like more of them!"

She inclined her head curtly, tucking the cookies into her bag.

When she arrived to Music Room 3, she silently placed the gift before her tiny upperclassman, a small, tense smile marring her delicate features as he gave her a curious, somewhat concerned stare.

She hadn't wanted them but she couldn't bring herself to throw them out, either.

* * *

"It was a good thing that Tamaki-senpai and Kyoya-senpai were there for you, Haruhi-kun! The twins, too! Ah, Mori-senpai and Hunny-senpai as well!" Kimiko said, relieved. "You must be so grateful to have such loyal friends."

"I guess you could say that." Her smile, sardonic as she poured herself steaming coffee. "But it was nothing I couldn't handle on my own. Besides, I'm certain Senpai wouldn't do something like that."

"But you're so _small_ compared to that him, Haruhi-kun! Your purity was threatened the very moment he laid eyes on you!" Momoka exclaimed, completely convinced her pale-eyed senpai was a threat.

It irked her. Terribly so.

"I'm telling you, Arashi-senpai wouldn't do that to me— _or_ anyone else." She let out a quiet, exasperated huff as she bit into a wild berry muffin.

"And you're much too sweet, Haruhi-kun! You call him by his first name so casually—as if you're on friendly terms!" Momoka squeaked, her cheeks pinking at the thought. "If you were to encounter him again, you would most assuredly be led astray because of your amiable demeanor! You would be completely at his mercy!"

The Natural Host tilted her head. "And?"

Kimiko gasped, hands cupping her flushed, round cheeks. "Is it that you wouldn't fight if he were to take you away? You would _willingly_ go with him?"

"Sure. Like I said, I know that Arashi-senpai isn't that kind of person. He can be a little quirky but he really is a good person. Everything was just a misunderstanding between us."

The two regulars shared a pensive look, huddling together to whisper words of unknown to each other. Haruhi looked on calmly as she ate her afternoon snack, knowing her two customers would eventually reveal the murmured conversation to her.

Kimiko averted her gaze away, shame taking hold of her features. "Haruhi-kun, are you—? Do you—?"

"Do I what?" She prompted, arching a brow.

"Are you suffering from a sort of traumatic bonding?" Momoka asked lowly, leaning close to the girl host so as to give a semblance of privacy. "Because I'm certain Kyoya-senpai would be more than happy to employ a therapist for your recovery. The Ootori have the most elite medical staff—they should be able to provide all the help needed."

Haruhi placed down her tea cup of coffee and pushed away her plate of half-eaten muffin.

She smiled politely, eyes darkening as she inclined her head towards the two girls. "…Please excuse me, ladies. I have to use the restroom."

 _Traumatic bonding?_ She mentally questioned, glaring at her reflection. _Are they really that deluded and ignorant of what happened?_

Even splashing cold water on her face did little in soothing her ire.

* * *

"I'm ill with cold for a mere two days and something like this happens! Are you all right, Haruhi-kun?"

"Renge, it wasn't anything serious. _At all._ " Her eyebrows knitted as she poured a bit of tea into the girl's cup. "It was all a misunderstanding. Everything was just blown out of proportion."

"Really? Because that isn't what the others claimed happened."

"What do they _claim_?" She questioned sarcastically.

"They say a bedraggled, mess of a boy—more so than _Kasanoda_ of all people—loitered about near the front gates demanding your presence. You obliged, being the kind person that you are. When you arrived, he bombarded you with cheap trinkets of love and you accepted them—again because of your kindness." She took a demure sip, lightly clearing her throat before continuing, "Mistaking your taking of the baubles as acceptance of his affections, he gave a compliment regarding your feminine wiles. Tamaki-senpai intercepted, correcting his mistake of your sex but the vagrant grew belligerent, spouting off some nonsense in regards to Tamaki-senpai. Eventually, he was successfully driven off by the combined efforts of the Host Club and the customers present for the debacle."

Haruhi allowed a beat of silence to pass before replying with, "...Is that what you heard?"

"There have also been some disturbing rumors of you as well, Haruhi-kun. They say that you still speak fondly of the hooligan despite his inappropriate behavior towards yourself and the other hosts. You side with him, despite his slights against the Host Club."

Her lips thinned into a line as she considered her next words. "Renge, I don't know where you're hearing these things but they aren't true. I was there and that story is nowhere near close to what actually happened."

Chocolate eyes widened as the self-proclaimed manager coughed into a handkerchief. "So… Momoka and Kimiko were wrong? You and the hoodlum do not share a forbidden relationship that is frowned upon by civilized society?"

"No, Renge. Arashi-senpai and I don't share anything more than a friendly acquaintance."

A dainty pout eased over Renge's features as she sighed, "…Oh, I see."

The dejection was evident but Haruhi couldn't find it in herself to feel any sympathy for the girl.

She would not be held accountable for any fresh fantasies that would undoubtedly develop and run through Renge's overactive mind.

* * *

As the orange hue of the late afternoon filtered into Music Room 3, the day came to a peaceful close.

Haruhi found herself drained, more so than normal. She prided herself on her ability to adapt to stressful, tiring situations but even she had limits on how much she could endure.

She tossed her satchel over her shoulder, words terse as she spoke, "I'm heading home."

The blond Idiot-King perked up at that. "But, Haruhi! We were about to discuss our latest theme! How can we plan when a member is missing!?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes!"

"How? You end up dressing me the way you want, anyways. I don't see how my absence is detrimental to the final decision."

There was a moment of silence.

She took it as a sign that her words were right.

"B-b-but Haruhi!" Tamaki stuttered, large tears welling in the corners of violet eyes. "I feel as if I haven't seen hide nor hair of you, my dearest daughter! I am worried for you!"

"What are you talking about? I've been here every day _._ " She let out a sigh, knowing that her egress would undoubtedly be delayed. "I'm _fine_. And stop calling me your daughter."

Hunny jumped to his feet, squeezing his beloved stuffed animal in his arms tightly. "But you aren't, Haru-chan! You haven't been acting like yourself—for a really long time. Ever since… Well…"

"Don't beat around the bush, Hunny-senpai! Ever since meeting that _guy_ , she's been acting weird!" Hikaru pushed off his table perch, amber eyes narrowed and arms crossed in a standoffish, frosty manner. "I mean, she even _shoved_ me because of him!"

She suppressed a grimace at the mention of her uncharacteristic outburst of anger. It had been deserved but she wasn't necessarily proud that she had gotten physical with a peer.

Her words, curt as she responded, "I regret getting physical but I'm not sorry about it, Hikaru. You guys crossed a line that day and it isn't something that I can forgive so easily."

"Why is this guy so important to you!?" The elder Hitachiin blustered. "You barely even know him! He got his feelings hurt! So what!? You probably won't even see him again!"

The Natural Host shook her head, eyes narrowed. "That doesn't matter to me. Something like that can't be overlooked—and I won't overlook it. I refuse to."

Unexpectedly, Hikaru threw his arms up with a cry of frustration before stomping away to sulk in the dressing rooms. Kaoru followed shortly after, a look of worry marring his features.

Haruhi could only lift a brow in bewilderment at his behavior. If anything, it was _her_ that had the right to stomp off in aggravation, considering the rather uninformed and insensitive reactions the hosts and her customers were fond of giving lately.

"I recognize that you are upset due to that unfortunate turn of events." Kyoya said after a moment of brief silence.

She nodded mutely.

Surely, Kyoya would be able to give her a sensible riposte.

"However, it was necessary to cover Tamaki's folly." He continued, throwing a sharp glare towards the Idiot-King, who cowered in response. "Your acquaintance ended up being a bit of collateral damage but I fail to see the issue, Haruhi. He doesn't attend Ouran and never will. There's no need to worry for something as negligible as his reputation among people he will never associate with."

She could only stare at him, her fingers digging into her fabric of her satchel.

It seemed that Kyoya too was unable—or _unwilling_ —to express the compunction she so desperately wished to see from the hosts. She herself was not one to wear her heart on her sleeve but it would be absurd to think that she did not _feel_ anything.

The disconnection between the hosts and what had transpired that day perplexed Haruhi.

Guilt had been a rather dominating emotion as of late; helplessness had been present alongside it. Thoughts of her senpai, Arashi, and of how he felt in that moment ran rampant in her mind. Her idleness in preventing that entire disastrous moment followed after her like a vengeful spirit, intent on making sure Haruhi never forgot her transgressions.

She had been guilty, there was no doubt in her mind about that—but so too were her club mates.

Had it not been for their meddling, she would not be suffering the inner turmoil that she had been for the past several days. As well, had she merely intervened—had she simply told the _truth_ —things would certainly be different.

Her credibility within Ouran may have been tarnished but it would have been justified. She had _lied_ ; it would have been deserved. When one lied and the truth was discovered, it was only logical that it would negatively impact one's integrity.

Haruhi found her sincerity to be one of her most prized qualities and, despite their idiocy and knack for unnecessary theatrics, she thought similarly of the Host Club.

She had begun to think differently, however. About herself and her peers.

The extent to which they were willing to go _just_ to hide her sex was disturbing. More upsetting still, her own readiness to participate in such injustice instinctively. At the very least, she realized her mistake. Her club mates' diffidence to acknowledge the situation, on the other hand…

"I'm going now." She said, leaving no room for any to stop her departure. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

It occurred to her that the simplest solution would be to find Arashi and apologize.

She knew his name, his school, his year and a possible hang out of his. However, she knew little of his after school activities, presenting a bit of a problem—it would be so simple for her to miss him by a few minutes because she wasn't aware if he had any club meetings and, if she did, how long they lasted.

"Arashi-senpai waited for who-knows-how-long just to give me back my things." Haruhi rolled her neck and wiped a bit of flour from her cheek, huffing softly. "Surely, I can wait for him to give him an apology."

"Haruhi, what's that wonderful smell?"

The sound of soft padding entered her ears. She turned her head incrementally, watching her disheveled father emerge from his room. He scratched his chin lazily and scrubbed his bandanna-covered head as he stumbled into the living room. The man released a loud yawn, cracking open a bleary eye.

"They're muffins, Dad."

"Muffins? So early in the morning?" He stopped, hazel eyes stretching open to cover the entity of his face as he beheld the sight. "Wha—? The k-k-kitchen…!"

Haruhi turned.

Covering every possible surface of the kitchen resided muffins of varying flavors, the predominant being that of blueberry.

"…I don't to see the problem, Dad."

* * *

Her first stop had been the video arcade.

She had to admit, she felt a bit awkward as she wandered about, keeping her eyes peeled for a glance of Arashi's tall figure or a glimpse of his pale eyes. When she had meandered about for around thirty minutes, she thought it best to ask for any possible sightings.

" _Nope, haven't seen him._ "

" _Arashi-kun? No. I wish I_ had _seen him, though._ "

" _He hasn't been here for a while._ "

" _He usually shows up at around this time every other day and stays until about closing time. Yeah, he lingers outside sometimes before he eventually leaves when we lock up._ "

Haruhi frowned as the worker walked away.

A small piece of information had been given to her about Arashi. She now knew of a time frame that he was likely to appear but he had not shown up for several days, causing her to feel a small bulb of discouragement and disappointment.

Again, waiting for him for a set time every day would be the logical plan and the course she wanted to pursue. On further thought, however, she did not have time between her surprisingly busy days of hosting, studying and taking care of her home.

With a short sigh, Haruhi left.

* * *

The hosts walked on eggshells around her.

Tamaki became rather sullen, often going off to sulk in his mushroom corner before and after meetings. Hikaru ignored her and, by extension, Kaoru did as well. Kyoya gazed at her from behind gleaming lenses, expectantly waiting for her to yield to his unsaid order. Only Hunny and Mori attempted to keep up club moral despite the rather dismal turn it had taken over the relatively short span of time.

Haruhi looked on, patiently waiting for the admission of wrongdoing.

* * *

Gedo High School had a reputation of being the worst school in Koishikawa, Bunkyō.

While Haruhi was not one to put stock in rumor, it would be silly to think that she had not at least _heard_ them.

According to word, children of lower Yakuza-born families ran rampant, along with those deemed delinquents by society and those with behavioral problems that had no chance of being rectified. All that attended were, more or less, those least likely to succeed in life—or so they say, of course.

Haruhi thought little of stereotypes or generalizations.

Aesthetically, the school had a rather attractive exterior. The pavement was clean, the greenery was taken care of and the building was free of inappropriate graffiti. For the most part, it looked like any other school that was within the residential area of Koishikawa.

What set it apart, however, was the menacing aura that clung to it, sullying the initial innocuous appearance.

"Hey, you." A voice called. "You from Ouran?"

Her eyebrows knitted as she turned her head, eyes settling on the approaching teen. It was a girl, clad in a plaid patterned shirt and button up shirt. On her left breast pocket, there was a crest, marking her a student of the high school the host was visiting. As the girl drew closer, Haruhi couldn't help but feel a surge of familiarity from the Gedo student.

She squinted. "Reika?"

"You know my name?" The teen tilted her head, dark eyes narrowed. "Wait. That voice… Haruhi?"

A light smile pulled to her features as she nodded. "Yeah, it's me."

The girl, Reika, inclined her head, her lips twitching at the corners. "Haruhi. What are you doing _here_ of all places?"

"I'm looking for someone. Arashi Hamasaki. He's a third year here."

"You're looking for Arashi-senpai?" Reika frowned. "I really shouldn't be surprised…"

"What?"

She waved her hand. "Nothing. Anyways, Arashi-senpai comes to school every day but I haven't seen him lately. Eh, that's not really saying much, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Arashi-senpai has the tendency to disappear when people are looking for him. It's kind of like looking at a pot and waiting for it to boil." She let out a chuckle, a smile on her face. "We have a contest to see who can find him for a whole consecutive week. The winner gets to eat lunch alone with him."

"Funny." Haruhi offered a small smile. "So, _you_ haven't seen Arashi-senpai?"

"No—but not for a lack of trying. If it's that urgent, you can ask around for him." Reika jerked a thumb towards the school building behind her. "I doubt it'll do much good with his disappearing act."

Disappointment ran through her.

Her gaze dropped. "Maybe another time. Thanks for your help, Reika."

The brown-haired host turned to leave. She stopped, however, at the sound of Reika's voice speaking out.

"You know… It's because of Arashi-senpai we aren't friends anymore."

Her head turned, lips thinning. "No, it isn't. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves. To persecute someone without proof of guilt is intolerable. I'd rather not be around those that could do such a thing so casually and without remorse."

Reika let out low, abrupt chuckle. "Sitting around and saying nothing is the better alternative, then?"

Brown eyes widened, almost impossibly so. "W-what did you just say…?"

"Nothing, Haruhi." The Gedo student smiled kindly, head tilting as she turned away. "It's just nice to see that you aren't the perfect being you're made out to be."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she watched the retreating back of her former friend.

* * *

"My dearest d—Ah. Wait." Tamaki cleared his throat before continuing, "I-I mean, Haruhi. I would like to request a moment of your time."

She lifted a dubious brow, pausing in packing away her belongings. "What is it?"

"In light of the recent commotion, I would like to offer a heartfelt apology to you." The blond bowed deeply at the waist.

That was unexpected.

The brown-haired girl blinked, taken aback. Haruhi honestly thought that she would not hear an admission of remorse from any of her club mates. To think that it would be Tamaki—the one that started it all—to be the first to approach her with repentance clearly evident in his being; it was nothing less than mind-boggling.

Despite herself, a smile wormed its way onto her face. "Tamaki-senpai… Thank you."

"N-no, it—I am _not_ the type of man to act in such a baleful manner. Kyoya was correct. I overreacted in order to hide my own foolish blunder and, in the process, I hurt both you and another close to you."

"It's nice to hear you say that, Tamaki-senpai."

 _Though, I'm not all that innocent myself._

His head lifted and, at the sight of the Natural Host's softened features, a faint blush rose to his cheeks. "W-well, I was—Ah, I wanted to take you out."

"Muh?"

"To authenticate my sincerity!" He added quickly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I hear there is a festival to be held in your neighborhood. I believe it would be an opportune time to examine commoner behavior at such an event."

She didn't want to go. Not because of Tamaki—but because of Arashi. The urge to look for him again was strong; just the thought of him was hard to banish.

It was Reika's words that stopped her from refusing. Arashi appeared when one was not looking for him—she supposed her previous encounters with him could stand as justification of that claim. Perhaps going out with Tamaki could help in suppressing the thoughts of her pale-eyed senpai, thereby summoning him for her to give a proper apology of her own.

She hoped that would be the case.

"Sure." She smiled. "It sounds like fun."

From nowhere, the eldest host appeared, wrapping himself around Tamaki.

"We're going to a festival, Tama-chan!?"

"W-wha—No! _You_ aren't but—" The Idiot-King spluttered, flailing his limbs around.

Hunny pouted, his honey brown eyes glimmering with tears. "No festival, Tama-chan…?"

"Tamaki, were you not arranging an extracurricular outing for the Host Club?" Kyoya pushed up his glasses, blinding them with a sharp, threatening gleam. "Surely you would not deprave the rest of us such an opportunity?"

"I would not but—"

"We shall meet up at Haruhi's residence to leave, then." Kyoya nodded his head curtly, jotting something on his notepad. "Perhaps around five in the evening?"

"Wait a moment! I—"

"We're going to a festival, Takashi! Doesn't it sound fun!?"

"Mn."

"I hope they have tasty cakes there…"

" _HEY! LISTEN TO ME!_ "

She shook her head at the silly sight of Tamaki running around in a childish fit, Kyoya watching indifferently, Hunny twirling around happily and Mori entertaining his cousin with short, simple grunts.

"Hey, Haruhi…?"

Ah.

"Kaoru. Hikaru."

The younger Hitachiin fiddled his thumbs. "We, uh, we wanted to say that we're sorry, too."

The elder Hitachiin stood next to her seat, a scowl marring his face as he kept quiet. It was obvious that he did not agree with his twin's sentiment. A sharp elbow jack and a pointed look from Kaoru quickly changed his tune, however.

He turned his head away, lips curled into what looked suspiciously close to a pout. "Yeah, sorry."

"Really?" She couldn't help but ask.

His shoulders stiffened before the tension left with a heavy sigh. "Yeah."

It was comforting.

All the underlying issues had yet to be addressed but Haruhi could wait a bit longer before bringing them up. Even she could not find the energy or will to crush the bloom of happiness that had been absent in the Host Club for far too long.

 _Maybe this is what I need…_

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so very sorry it took this long to update this story. I don't want to make any promises regarding future chapters and I will not offer any excuses for my lack of updates—I will do my best to provide a chapter in a shorter span of time, however.**

 **Not much happens in this chapter. The MC doesn't even show up, though, he is mentioned. We also learn a few minor snippets about him. While I did make out the Hosts to be rather evil last chapter, they do come through—though the apology is probably more to satisfy Haruhi than it is for feeling any real regret.**

 **Good news: this story is now officially a romance between Haruhi and the OC. So be on the lookout for more romance stuffs in later chapters.**


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